Address of His Holiness Pope John Paul II during the
Blessing and Dedication of the
Offices of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to
the United Nations and of the
Path to Peace Foundation

My dear Brothers and Sisters,

1. As the third millennium approaches, we are given an
opportunity to reflect on the Lord’s power and presence in
our lives and in our world. Nearly two-thousand years ago
Jesus Christ ushered in the kingdom of God here on earth,
and in our own time He continues to draw men and women to
the light of his truth. Just as He commanded his Church in
her earliest days to “make disciples of all the nations” (Mt
28:19), so He calls the faithful today, bishops, priests,
religious and laity alike, to be instruments of
evangelization for the salvation of the entire human family.

2. It is ultimately for this reason that, over thirty years
ago, Pope Paul VI initiated the formal participation of the
Holy See in the United Nations Organization, offering the
cooperation of the Church’s spiritual and humanitarian
expertise to the men and women of good will who work for the
advancement of peace and justice in the international
community. In this capacity, the Holy See continues to
remind the nations that their focal point must always be the
integral good of the human person.

3. With the intention of expanding this activity beyond the
strictly diplomatic parameters of the Holy See’s Mission to
the United Nations Organization, the Path to Peace
Foundation was established in 1991. Since then, the
Foundation has borne much fruit in spreading the message by
which the Catholic Church, through the ministry of the
Successor of Peter and the activities of the Holy See,
strives to “guide our feet into the way of peace” (Lk 1:79).

Every year, the Path to Peace Foundation pays tribute to a
single individual for his or her outstanding service to the
cause of world peace, and acknowledges those often unsung
heroes in many fields, whose sole purpose and desire is to
be present where needs are greatest. It likewise recognizes
men and women who give of their time, talents and resources
in order to provide the means to sustain and expand the
Church’s evangelical mission of making Christ known to the
ends of the earth.

4. This new acquired facility is a testimony to the support
and commitment of so many people both to the Holy See’s
Mission and to the Path to Peace Foundation in their joint
work for world peace. To all of you, benefactors and
volunteers, I express my heartfelt gratitude. As we dedicate
this building to the cause of Christ, let us rededicate
ourselves to His service, working and praying always for the
salvation of the whole human family.

Archbishop Renato Martino offering Pope John Paul
II words of welcome before His Holiness blesses the
newly-acquired building

Pope John
Paul II blessing the new offices of the Holy See
Mission
and the Path to Peace Foundation

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Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations
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Tel: (212) 370-7885 - Fax: (212) 370-9622